Page 46 of Last One Standing
On the television I watched them throw Leo onto the bed of a pickup truck. Dill jumped in with him while Mike and Fly got into the driver and passenger seats.
“We still have eyes on the clubhouse?” Angel got up, my hand sliding off him and the coldness that seeped through my skin at his absence jarred me.
“Yeah. Using a drone, I hooked a camera onto one of the tall trees so we can watch comings and goings.” Noel was typing and a moment later, the clubhouse came onto the screen. “You think they’ll bring him there?”
“Where else would they go, if not the clubhouse?” Nick turned to me.
“Brick didn’t talk a lot of business with me. I knew of some factory, but until you all lit it up, I wasn’t sure where it was.”
“Maybe Shep can turn around, see if he can follow them?” Mason suggested.
“It’s our best bet right now.” Nick hit a button and then let Shep, Gabe, and Four know what was going on.
“We’ll see what we can do. What color was the pickup?” Shep asked.
“Black, maybe a dark blue,” Noel chimed in.
“Okay, we’ll keep you posted,” Gabe responded.
There was little to nothing that we could do. The clubhouse was in view on the screen so if they went there, we’d see. I didn’t know what anyone could do if they did bring Leo there. The MCs outnumbered everyone in this house, and from what I’d gathered, not all of them could fight.
It felt as if my bones were vibrating under my skin. Leo was a good man, always kind, so helpful, and would never hurt anyone. To know this was happening because of me made my stomach roll.
I thought about what Aziza said about not talking about what happened to me, not wanting to put a voice to what Brick had put me through. Even considering how out of control those horrifying moments were between the two of us, I understood my resolve, my strength. I was tethered to the belief that I could overcome.
With Leo, I had no idea what was going through his head, what he could endure, and if he’d even make it home tonight. But what I did know was that if he died, I’d never forgive myself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ANGEL
“We have a problem.”Shep’s voice came through the speakers.
“What is it?” We didn’t have eyes on the pickup truck—just the clubhouse. Wherever Brick was having Leo delivered, Shep, Gabe, and Four were the only ones who knew.
“They aren’t going to the clubhouse, that’s for certain. They turned in a different direction. That’s not the problem. Issue is, at least seven bikes just passed us on the highway before the turnoff, which means?—”
“You’ll be way outnumbered.” Noel finished Shep’s sentence.
“There are only three of us, and we only have two guns between us. We didn’t know we’d be dealing with a rescue mission. With the three that were at the club and the seven bikes, that’s ten of the MCs at least. We’re good, but not that good.” I could hear Gabe’s frustration.
“If we leave him there, he will die.” Four’s voice was like ice.
“I get it, Four, but the odds are not in our favor,” Shep argued.
I peeked at Kona. He had his head in his hands; he had to understand that this wasn’t a round we’d win. He lifted his head, and a tear fell from his right eye. I wanted to promise him we’dsave Leo, but there wasn’t a guarantee, and we couldn’t do it right now.
Without taking my eyes off Kona I ordered, “Get the location, don’t engage, come home. We’ll get eyes there and hope a window of opportunity comes and we can get him out.”
“Leo means nothing to Brick; he will kill him.” Four was matter of fact.
“He’s right,” Kona whispered. “He’ll die because of me.”
“Come home.” I walked over to Kona. “So will my brothers if I send them in there right now.”
“It’s all my fault.” A sob broke free from Kona. I sat beside him and the second I did, he fell into my arms.
“No, it’s not. You’re not responsible for what Brick does. Leo chose to help you and in the back of his mind, he knew this could happen. Once we get that location we can assess it, just like we did with you and Pika. We can’t just go in there; you know that, right?”
